Trials, Allies and Enemies
Harry's trials had begun when he was a baby and Voldemort tried to kill him.
However his conscious trials begin on the train to Hogwarts when he overcomes Malfoy’s
threats. Soon Malfoy and Snape are his perceived enemies. He also learns of Voldemort’s
attempts to kill him, which establishes Voldemort as a perceived enemy. In retrieving
Neville’s Rememberall, a trial, Harry’s abilities on a broomstick are discovered. He becomes
friends with Ron on the Hogwarts train and he soon welcomes Hermione as an ally after
helping to save her from the trial of the troublesome Mountain Troll. These two young
wizards offer their own talents to assist Harry in his trials. Hermione helps discover
information about the Philosopher’s Stone and inadvertently helps save Harry when Quirrell
tries to kill him during a Quidditch match. Harry shows his talents in Quidditch by recovering
the golden snitch. By this stage Harry has begun to work out how his new world operates
(PS, 101- 141).
Approach to the Inmost Cave
Harry learns more about himself through the Mirror of Erised, which he discovers in a
darkened room. The Mirror of Erised will later be a key part of Voldemort’s quest for
immortality. Through this object Harry is able to see his parents. As with many quest stories
there is rescue of loved ones because Harry has now achieved a link with his parents. There is
also the harbouring of a potential monster, which is another element common to many quest
stories, as Harry, through the desires he views in the mirror, could be driven to madness.
With the help of Dumbledore Harry is able to overcome the temptation of the mirror, a minor
ordeal. Dumbledore has now become Harry’s primary mentor. He has provided Harry with
sound advice and with the elixir of the invisibility cloak (PS, pp. 148-157).
Ordeal
As stated above, the Mirror of Erised is a minor ordeal while the main ordeal for
Harry, in the PS quest story, is located further than indicated in Vogler’s general hero journey
structure. Vogler places the main ordeal after the Approach to the Inmost Cave (1999, p. 12)
but in PS the main ordeal occurs after the structural point entitled The Road Back. Such
variations in the hero journey are not unusual.
Reward
Harry has received the gift of the invisibility cloak earlier so that he can access the
mirror. It is a gift from the grave as it was his father’s. It assists Harry in sneaking around
Hogwarts to gather information and in providing cover for Hermione, Harry and Ron in their
final adventure in PS. He has also received Dumbledore’s advice regarding the Mirror of
Erised, which will later assist him in his confrontation with Voldemort/Quirrell. This is where
Dumbledore properly shows his mentoring role. Harry learns that desire can be one’s worst
enemy as it can literally destroy your humanity. This notion is demonstrated in Voldemort’s
quest for immortality and power that derives him of his humanity (PS, pp. 148-157).
The Road Back
Through the detention he receives Harry gains information that will help him on his
quest. During the trip to the forbidden forest with Malfoy, they find a hooded creature
feeding off the blood of a slain unicorn. The centaur Frienze saves Harry and also provides
information that explains why the Philosopher’s Stone is at risk (PS, 181-189).
Ordeal
Harry’s main mentor, Dumbledore, is away so Harry must face the main ordeal alone.
However, Harry starts this ordeal with his friends Ron and Hermione. Initially Harry and his
friends must overcome those who would restrict them. Harry must risk expulsion from
Hogwarts as he needs to break school rules to stop the rebirth of Lord Voldemort. Then
Harry, Ron and Hermione suffer the ordeal of stopping their friend Neville from threatening
their quest. Using their respective talents the trio must overcome a number of minor ordeals
until Harry faces the ultimate one. They descend past the three-headed dog, Fluffy (a
reminder of Cerberus, the guardian dog of the Underworld in Greek mythology) and then the
Devil's Snare plant. They then retrieve a specific flying key, compete against a group of huge
animated chess pieces, solve a riddle to avoid poisoning and complete a task. Ron and Harry
will suffer physically from these ordeals (PS, pp. 195-208). Harry, now the lone hero, faces
his key test/ordeal. He meets Voldemort/Quirrell alone. He must then look past the desire to
use the Philosopher’s Stone for himself in order to stop Voldemort/Quirrell getting the Stone
to provide Voldemort with eternal life. Dumbledore’s advice is instrumental here because he
told Harry that in the mirror you are able to see what you most desire, which in this case is
the Philosopher’s Stone (PS, p. 157). By looking in the mirror Harry sees the Philosopher’s
Stone placed in his pocket, which is where it suddenly appears. Harry then overcomes
Voldemort through the death of Quirrel (PS, pp. 195-214).
Resurrection
After struggling with Quirrell/Voldemort, Harry falls into darkness. He returns to
consciousness with Dumbledore in the hospital wing. Order has been temporarily restored to
the wizarding world and Harry has shown himself to be a real hero in his own right. Some
people may read this episode as a literal ‘resurrection’ in that Harry may have died and Dumbledore brought him back to life. This type of resurrection is found commonly in heroic
myths (Vogler, 1999, p. 22). Ironically, Harry has temporarily hindered Voldemort’s chance
of being resurrected to full life (PS, p. 214).
Harry's trials had begun when he was a baby and Voldemort tried to kill him.
However his conscious trials begin on the train to Hogwarts when he overcomes Malfoy’s
threats. Soon Malfoy and Snape are his perceived enemies. He also learns of Voldemort’s
attempts to kill him, which establishes Voldemort as a perceived enemy. In retrieving
Neville’s Rememberall, a trial, Harry’s abilities on a broomstick are discovered. He becomes
friends with Ron on the Hogwarts train and he soon welcomes Hermione as an ally after
helping to save her from the trial of the troublesome Mountain Troll. These two young
wizards offer their own talents to assist Harry in his trials. Hermione helps discover
information about the Philosopher’s Stone and inadvertently helps save Harry when Quirrell
tries to kill him during a Quidditch match. Harry shows his talents in Quidditch by recovering
the golden snitch. By this stage Harry has begun to work out how his new world operates
(PS, 101- 141).
Approach to the Inmost Cave
Harry learns more about himself through the Mirror of Erised, which he discovers in a
darkened room. The Mirror of Erised will later be a key part of Voldemort’s quest for
immortality. Through this object Harry is able to see his parents. As with many quest stories
there is rescue of loved ones because Harry has now achieved a link with his parents. There is
also the harbouring of a potential monster, which is another element common to many quest
stories, as Harry, through the desires he views in the mirror, could be driven to madness.
With the help of Dumbledore Harry is able to overcome the temptation of the mirror, a minor
ordeal. Dumbledore has now become Harry’s primary mentor. He has provided Harry with
sound advice and with the elixir of the invisibility cloak (PS, pp. 148-157).
Ordeal
As stated above, the Mirror of Erised is a minor ordeal while the main ordeal for
Harry, in the PS quest story, is located further than indicated in Vogler’s general hero journey
structure. Vogler places the main ordeal after the Approach to the Inmost Cave (1999, p. 12)
but in PS the main ordeal occurs after the structural point entitled The Road Back. Such
variations in the hero journey are not unusual.
Reward
Harry has received the gift of the invisibility cloak earlier so that he can access the
mirror. It is a gift from the grave as it was his father’s. It assists Harry in sneaking around
Hogwarts to gather information and in providing cover for Hermione, Harry and Ron in their
final adventure in PS. He has also received Dumbledore’s advice regarding the Mirror of
Erised, which will later assist him in his confrontation with Voldemort/Quirrell. This is where
Dumbledore properly shows his mentoring role. Harry learns that desire can be one’s worst
enemy as it can literally destroy your humanity. This notion is demonstrated in Voldemort’s
quest for immortality and power that derives him of his humanity (PS, pp. 148-157).
The Road Back
Through the detention he receives Harry gains information that will help him on his
quest. During the trip to the forbidden forest with Malfoy, they find a hooded creature
feeding off the blood of a slain unicorn. The centaur Frienze saves Harry and also provides
information that explains why the Philosopher’s Stone is at risk (PS, 181-189).
Ordeal
Harry’s main mentor, Dumbledore, is away so Harry must face the main ordeal alone.
However, Harry starts this ordeal with his friends Ron and Hermione. Initially Harry and his
friends must overcome those who would restrict them. Harry must risk expulsion from
Hogwarts as he needs to break school rules to stop the rebirth of Lord Voldemort. Then
Harry, Ron and Hermione suffer the ordeal of stopping their friend Neville from threatening
their quest. Using their respective talents the trio must overcome a number of minor ordeals
until Harry faces the ultimate one. They descend past the three-headed dog, Fluffy (a
reminder of Cerberus, the guardian dog of the Underworld in Greek mythology) and then the
Devil's Snare plant. They then retrieve a specific flying key, compete against a group of huge
animated chess pieces, solve a riddle to avoid poisoning and complete a task. Ron and Harry
will suffer physically from these ordeals (PS, pp. 195-208). Harry, now the lone hero, faces
his key test/ordeal. He meets Voldemort/Quirrell alone. He must then look past the desire to
use the Philosopher’s Stone for himself in order to stop Voldemort/Quirrell getting the Stone
to provide Voldemort with eternal life. Dumbledore’s advice is instrumental here because he
told Harry that in the mirror you are able to see what you most desire, which in this case is
the Philosopher’s Stone (PS, p. 157). By looking in the mirror Harry sees the Philosopher’s
Stone placed in his pocket, which is where it suddenly appears. Harry then overcomes
Voldemort through the death of Quirrel (PS, pp. 195-214).
Resurrection
After struggling with Quirrell/Voldemort, Harry falls into darkness. He returns to
consciousness with Dumbledore in the hospital wing. Order has been temporarily restored to
the wizarding world and Harry has shown himself to be a real hero in his own right. Some
people may read this episode as a literal ‘resurrection’ in that Harry may have died and Dumbledore brought him back to life. This type of resurrection is found commonly in heroic
myths (Vogler, 1999, p. 22). Ironically, Harry has temporarily hindered Voldemort’s chance
of being resurrected to full life (PS, p. 214).
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